The present invention relates to a system for the handling of solid granular materials and, more particularly, a system and an auger assembly for the conveying of such materials.
Transportable hoppers such as grain carts have been employed in the past for the transport of granular materials such as grain. These grain carts have been unloaded either by the gravity from the bottom of the hopper, or from the top of the hopper by a powered auger screw conveyer which extends from adjacent the bottom of the hopper to adjacent its top where the discharge of the grain may be accurately directed. These powered auger screw conveyors are contained over at least an upper portion of their length by a tube which is stationarily attached, such as by welding, to one of the inclined walls of the hopper. The remaining lower portion of the auger screw toward the bottom of the hopper is covered by a generally flat door which slides on slide rails to cover the lower portion of the auger screw when the grain cart is empty, but to expose the lower portion of the screw when it is desired to unload grain from the hopper.
Such sliding cover door assemblies suffer several disadvantages. One disadvantage is that the slide assembly slows unloading. Another disadvantage is that bulky granular material can bridge from the slide assembly to the walls of the hopper, hindering free flow into the auger screw. Still another disadvantage is that the granular material, for example grain, tends to abrade and wear the auger tube itself necessitating that the auger tube must be replaced after time. Such replacement is relatively difficult, expensive and time consuming where the auger tube is stationarily fixed, such as by welding, to a side wall of the grain cart hopper as they have typically been in the past.
It is the purpose of the present invention to overcome these several disadvantages. In the present invention, two auger tubes are provided. A first auger tube is provided as in the past which surrounds at least a portion of the auger and is stationarily fixed to an inclined sidewall of the hopper. The second auger tube is moveable telescopically into and out of the first tube between a first position in which the second tube extends from the first tube to cover the auger, and a second position in which the second tube is telescopically withdrawn into the first tube to expose the auger for operation. In the second position the second tube surrounds the auger and is positioned between the auger and the interior wall of the first tube to protect the first tube against abrasion and wear during operation.
The telescoping first and second auger tubes of the invention substantially speed the unloading process over the prior sliding door-slide rail constructions, and minimize bridging. In the present invention the need for the door slide rails as in the prior constructions is eliminated, and the second tube lines the first tube and protects it against abrasion. Although abrasion of the second tube may occur, it is not stationarily welded to the inclined sidewall of the hopper as is the first tube, and is much more easily and inexpensively replaced than the difficult to replace tubes which are welded to the side wall.
In one principal aspect of the present invention, an auger assembly for conveying a solid granular material comprises an elongate rotatable auger; a first tube at least partially surrounding the auger over a first portion of the length of the elongate auger; and a coupling for coupling the auger to a source of power for transmitting power to the auger to rotate the auger in the first tube. A second tube also at least partially surrounds the auger over a portion of the length of the elongate auger. A drive mechanism longitudinally moves the second tube between a first position in which the second tube extends from the first tube, and substantially over a second portion of the length of the elongate auger, and a second position in which the second tube extends over a substantial amount of the first portion and in which a substantial amount of the second portion of the length of the elongate auger is exposed.
In another principal aspect of the present invention, the tubes substantially surround the respective portions of the length of the elongate auger when the second tube is in its respective first and second positions.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the second tube is moved telescopically relative to the first tube when the second tube is moved between the first and second positions.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the second tube moves into the first tube and around the auger when it moves to the second position, and the second tube is positioned between the auger and the first tube when the second tube is in the second position.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the drive mechanism comprises a fluid cylinder, and preferably a hydraulic fluid cylinder.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the first tube is notched at an end thereof adjacent the second portion of the auger.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the auger assembly is in a system for the handling of a solid granular material, which system includes a hopper having a top and a bottom and inclined walls which are inclined toward each other toward the bottom of the hopper; the elongate rotatable auger extends from adjacent the bottom to adjacent the top of the hopper; and the first tube at least partially surrounds the auger over a first portion of the length of the elongate auger nearest the top of the hopper. The drive mechanism longitudinally moves the aforementioned second tube between the first position in which the second tube extends toward the bottom of the hopper, and substantially over the second portion of the length of the elongate auger, and the second position in which the second tube extends over a substantial amount of the first portion toward the top of the hopper, and in which a substantial amount of the second portion of the length of the elongate auger is exposed toward the bottom of said hopper.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.